The film Funny Games may have divided the DC staff, but one thing we all agreed on: Its young star Michael Pitt was quite impressive, and we’re thrilled to report he’s joining NBC’s “Hannibal” in a major role.

Per EW, Pitt (“Boardwalk Empire,” Seven Psychopaths) is playing the character of Mason Verger, an unstable wealthy patient of Dr. Hannibal Lecter who begins a dangerous cat-and-mouse game with the deadly serial killer. The previously announced Katharine Isabelle will play Verger’s sister, Margo.

The Mason Verger role will be introduced late in the upcoming second season. Gary Oldman previously played an older version of Mason Verger in the 2001 Hannibal film, which is based on Thomas Harris’ Hannibal novel. NBC’s “Hannibal” timeline precedes the events in the film and is also set before the events in Thomas’ Red Dragon so this is Mason how we’ve never seen him before.

“Hannibal” stars Mads Mikkelsen as brilliant psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who is working with the FBI and gifted criminal profiler Will Graham, played by Hugh Dancy, to look into the mind of serial killers. The series also stars Laurence Fishburne as Jack Crawford, the head of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit.

The second season of the critically acclaimed “Hannibal” will contain 13 episodes, beginning with “Kaiseki,” premiering Friday, February 28th, following “Grimm.”

“Hannibal” Episode 2.01 – “Kaiseki” (air date 2/28/14)With Will still in custody for the murder of Abigail, Dr. Lecter steps in to help when bodies wash up on a riverbank. The big question is whether or not Dr. Bloom will be able to help Will regain his memories.